Author's Note: This chapter's huge...I thought of breaking it into two, but then, they'd have been sort of small...so, I kept it as one, and hope you enjoy a long read!
Boot Camp Part 25
Out in the Open
Because of Jason's injury, the sparring match was halted, and the rest of the boys were dismissed. But instead of the chewing out he expected to receive, Duo found himself completely ignored by Heero as they headed for an early supper.
While he might normally have tried to get a rise out of the team leader, he was too distracted to bother. Between worrying about Jase, agonizing over Heero and Trowa, and pondering how he'd take revenge on Kyle, he had plenty to keep himself occupied as they walked.
"Agh! Enough!" Quatre snapped, putting a hand to his head.
Duo looked sharply at him. "Sorry, Quat--"
"It's not just you!" Quatre turned an accusing gaze to Heero. "You're just as bad!" And he even looked at Trowa as well. "And you...stop worrying about Nanashi! Gods, you three are driving me nuts!"
Heero and Trowa looked blankly at him, and Duo blinked, realization dawning. "Um, Quat. Maybe you should tell them about your--er--uh, special talent?"
The team leader raised an eyebrow. "Are you hiding something, Winner?"
Quatre actually scowled at him. "No more than you are, Yuy," he said defiantly.
He stalked on ahead of the rest of them, and Heero's gaze turned to Duo. "Care to explain what he was talking about, Maxwell?"
Duo shrugged slightly. "He just doesn't do well around tense people...all that negative energy bothers him."
"Negative energy?" came the skeptical response.
"You'll just have to let him explain it to you, cuz I'm not sure I get it myself," Duo offered vaguely.
By the time they were at the commissary, they'd settled down again. For Quatre's sake, Duo tried not to dwell on his misery over Heero or his concern for Jason, but it was hard on both counts. He finally thought of a suitable distraction, though, for he noticed Kyle's teammates at a nearby table. Ah, that's right...there's payback to be planned. He set his mind to thinking of a way to even the score with Kyle, yet not get sent to prison over it. And that was no small task.
But it managed to occupy Duo's thoughts the rest of the evening, and he fell asleep pondering the method he'd use to exact revenge.
~*~
The next day was Saturday, and there was barracks cleaning and laundry to be done. Plus, Captain Chang had announced a meeting where he would brief all the recruits about the next week's events. But before any of that, they made their way to the mess hall for breakfast.
On the way over, Heero walked up beside Quatre, who was, as usual, with Duo. "Hey, Winner. Tell me about this problem you have with 'negative energy'."
Quatre looked at him blankly.
"Uh, yeah...that's the only way I could describe it to him, Quat," Duo told him, smiling sheepishly.
"It's called empathy," sighed Quatre. "And it just means that when people are in high states of emotion, I can feel it...here." He touched his heart. "Sometimes it makes my head ache a bit, too...when there's too much tension in the air."
Heero eyed him skeptically. "Do you seriously expect me to believe you can 'sense' people's emotions?"
"Well, you can do it, too, to some degree," Quatre pointed out. "For instance, when Duo's angry, his body language just shouts it to the world."
Duo gave him a disgruntled look. "So, just tell me I'm obvious, why don't you?"
"So's Heero," shrugged the empath. "I can tell from behind him when he's scowling, because his back is so straight."
Trowa had drawn even with the other three, and looked warily at Quatre. "You can tell what someone's thinking?" he asked with concern.
"No...not even close," Quatre insisted.
All three of his teammates looked relieved.
"It's emotions I sense." He looked rather accusingly at Duo. "And you are about the most emotional person I know," he sighed.
"Sorry," said Duo, for about the tenth time. "Can I help it if I'm a passionate person?"
"No," admitted Quatre. "But I prefer it when you're happy."
Trowa snorted wryly. "You must feel like you're on a roller coaster, Quatre."
The blonde managed a wan smile at that.
They arrived at the commissary, and Duo's eyes lit up at the sight of Jason seated with his team. The braided boy fairly flew across the room.
"Jase! How are you? How's the knee?" he demanded, eyeing the crutches leaning against the table. Then his eyes dropped to the thick bandaging around Jason's knee.
"Um...okay and not so okay," replied the other boy, giving Duo a warm look. "Doc Po says it's not broken, but some of the ligaments are torn. I don't know if they'll let me continue in boot camp."
Duo sank down into a chair beside him. "That sucks. They won't send you to prison, will they?"
"No. Captain Chang said I was doing so well with the training that he'd see about getting me into a rehab program until I could come back." Jason shrugged slightly. "The only problem is, if it takes longer than the boot camp lasts, I'd have to get into the next session, assuming there is another."
"Either way, it sounds like you're leaving," Duo said sadly.
Jason gave him a teasing smile. "Will you miss me?"
Duo blushed at that, looking down at the floor. "Hell, yeah," he said quietly.
Heero and the others had gotten their food by that time, and joined Jason and his team at the table.
"I brought you breakfast," Quatre said with a smirk, putting a plate in front of Duo.
He glanced up distractedly. "Oh, yeah...almost forgot what we came here for." He settled in to eat, while they all discussed Jason's injury and the prognosis.
When they were done, Duo volunteered to carry Jason's tray up to the table in the front of the mess hall, while the other boy maneuvered on his crutches. He had ulterior motives, for it gave him a chance to talk privately with his fellow L2 native.
"Hey, Jase--you said if I ever needed help with another prank, to keep you in mind."
Jason turned with a wide grin. "You serious?"
"Kyle needs to be taken down," Duo smirked in reply, an evil gleam in his eyes. "I want to be the one to do it. Assuming you're here long enough, you wanna be the one to help?"
"Hell, yeah!"
"C'mon then--let's talk." Duo was ushering Jason out the door when Heero caught up.
"Where d'you think you're going, Maxwell?"
The braided boy turned a glare to his team leader, his good mood evaporating in a heartbeat. "Jase and I want to talk. Alone."
"We've got a briefing in an hour."
"I'll be there."
Heero stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly. "We've got a competition next week. Don't you think you need to keep your mind on that?"
"I think you need to keep your mind on your own business."
"I'm the team leader. It's my business to keep track of my team members and make sure they're staying focused." And not going off to make out with their boyfriend.
"Yeah, yeah...'the good of the team'," Duo said, waving a hand dismissively. He wanted to ask if it had been 'good' for Trowa, but the sarcastic barb got caught in his throat. "Maybe you forgot, Jase is a team leader, too," he pointed out instead.
"Apparently not a very serious one," Heero noted.
"At least he's willing to spend time with something other than a computer!" Duo retorted. And a two-timing teammate.
"Well maybe if he's who you want to spend time with, you should be on his team," Heero growled.
"I wish I could!" Duo retorted, his temper rising. He stood facing Heero, his fists clenched at his sides.
"Maybe it can be arranged!"
Duo blinked, stung by the harshness in the Japanese boy's voice. "Then go the fuck ahead and arrange it!" He took a step towards Heero, and Jason reached out to catch his arm.
"Duo--hey--take it easy!" he said with a frown.
Duo jerked his arm free, turning with a scowl. "You butt out, Carroll!" he snapped.
Jason took a step back, eyes widening at the display of temper.
Duo turned back to glare at Heero. "You want a chance to get rid of me, Yuy? Well go the fuck ahead. Maybe if you get really lucky, I'll fuck up bad enough to get sent to L2."
"Duo!" Quatre pushed his way into the altercation, glaring at the braided boy. "For Allah's sake, I can't take much more of this! Is this your idea of not letting things affect the team?"
Duo glared back. "What team, Winner? As far as I can tell, I'm on my own in this goddamned, fucking prison!" He stormed out the door, brushing past Captain Chang and stalking away across the yard.
As he walked, he brushed a hand across his stinging eyes, willing the rebellious tears to go away. Damn Heero anyway--joking, flirting--acting like there was some spark of interest there--and then screwing Trowa. Instead of me... And damn himself for caring who Heero fucked, anyway!
"Duo!"
The patter of feet behind him made him turn sharply, putting his hands in front of him in a defensive gesture. "Leave me alone, Quat! I don't want to talk!"
"I'm not here to talk," Quatre retorted. "Heero sent me as backup in case you ran into trouble."
"Why?" demanded Duo. "What's it to him what happens to me?" He gritted his teeth. "What's it to you, for that matter?"
Quatre stared for a minute, reading the play of emotions in the stormy eyes. "Allah--this is really getting to you, isn't it?" he said finally. "You're totally in love with Heero, and it's killing you that he's with someone else."
"I do not love Heero Yuy!" Duo hissed, eyes narrowing.
"What happened to never lying?" Quatre asked gently, walking closer.
"I'm not lying. I'm--I'm not!" Duo's voice cracked slightly, and he closed his eyes, unable to look into the aquamarine ones and try to keep up the façade. "I just thought--dammit, he said to be patient--and then he turned around and fucked someone else. Obviously someone way more irresistible than me."
Then Quatre's arms went around his friend in a hug, and Duo buried his face on the other boy's shoulder. "It's okay," Quatre murmured soothingly. "It'll be okay."
"God--I'm such a stupid fucker," Duo muttered into the warm shoulder, sniffling slightly, but not letting himself cry.
"Well, you're in pretty deep denial," Quatre noted with wry humor. "Almost as deep as his."
Duo pulled back slightly, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "Don't even try to tell me Yuy feels anything for me."
"He's back there giving Jason a look that could curdle milk," shrugged the blonde. "And the jealousy he's giving off--"
"Shit. Jase doesn't deserve that," Duo sighed. He rolled his eyes. "Aw, crap--I snapped at him, too."
"You snapped at everyone," the empath pointed out. "And sadly, I'm the only one with a clue as to why."
Duo managed a rueful smirk. "It's a good thing you understand me, or I wouldn't have a friend in this place."
"I'll always be your friend, Duo," Quatre said firmly. "And one way or another, you'll get through this. I'll make sure you do."
"Thanks, Quat...you're the best." Keeping an arm wrapped around the blonde's shoulders, Duo headed for the barracks to get ready for the meeting.
~*~
Back at the mess hall, Wufei was giving Heero a rather suspicious look, after watching first Duo and then Quatre dash from the building. "Problem, Yuy?"
"Can we go someplace to talk privately?" Heero asked, giving a frustrated sigh.
Captain Chang nodded. "But it will have to wait until after the briefing. Right now I'm headed to the library to organize things."
"All right then. I'll stay after the briefing, if that's acceptable."
"That will be fine."
~*~
When Heero and Trowa arrived at the barracks, Duo was feigning interest in a textbook, and Quatre was reading some of the letters from his sisters.
Heero said nothing more to the braided boy, but went to the laptop to do some work before the briefing on the upcoming competition.
Trowa gave Duo a curious look, but then went over to sit beside Quatre on his bunk. "Hey, Quatre...would you like to come with me to see Nanashi after the meeting?"
"Sure, I'd--"
Duo leaned over the edge of his bunk, glaring across at Trowa. "Hey, what about me?" he interrupted. "I haven't seen the mutt for days!"
Trowa glared back. "Maybe Quatre could use a break from all your emotional baggage, Maxwell," he sneered. "You ever stop to think about that?"
Quatre gave Trowa a quick, reproachful look. "Trowa, that's not the case at all," he insisted. "I go with you to see Nanashi because I enjoy it, not to get away from Duo." The scolding look from his gentle blue eyes made more of an impression on the green-eyed boy than any yelling ever would have.
"I'm sorry," Trowa said at once. He sighed giving a faintly apologetic look to Duo. "I'm just very tense about what's gonna happen to Nanashi. And..." He ducked his head in embarrassment, looking almost shyly at Quatre. "I like having you come with me to see him, Quatre. You're--really good company."
"I can be good company, too," Duo said flatly. "At least when I'm not around anal retentive pricks." He spared a glance to Heero, who never even looked up from the laptop.
"We could all go," Quatre suggested, diplomatically. But truth be told, he'd have liked some alone time with Trowa. Not that he could bring himself to confess his interest, but it felt more like a 'date' if they were unaccompanied.
Trowa looked a little crestfallen, and Duo grinned triumphantly. As long as he had his way, the handsome circus performer wouldn't have a private moment with Quatre. The braided boy was seriously concerned that once Trowa made an actual move, it would be that much more traumatic for Quatre to find out about him and Heero.
Even as he was thinking that, Heero looked up from the laptop. "Only two of you can go to see the dog. I have to stay after the briefing, and after Kyle's little display yesterday, it would be sheer idiocy for any one of us to be caught alone...even me."
Quatre looked appealingly at Duo, who shook his head firmly. "I'm not hanging around with him," he said flatly, glaring at Heero.
"Oh, for fuck's sake, Maxwell--!" Trowa snapped.
"No, it's fine," Quatre interrupted hastily. "I'll stay with Heero." He knew how painful it was for Duo to be close to the team leader, feeling the way he did, so he resigned himself to missing out on time with Trowa, for the sake of his best friend.
Trowa gave Duo a perfectly deadly look, but the braided boy merely smiled radiantly at him.
Quatre leaned a little closer to Trowa, and lowered his voice. "Thanks for understanding," he whispered, knowing that the auburn-haired boy didn't understand at all. "Duo really doesn't want to be around Heero right now, and he's my friend. I have to help him out."
Trowa nodded reluctantly, sighing. "Maybe next time?"
The smile the blonde gave him was all the reward Trowa needed, and he smiled back warmly.
~*~
Thus it was that after the briefing, Duo sauntered off with Trowa, while Quatre hung out in the library, giving Heero time to talk to Wufei in a little office behind the main desk.
"So, what can I do for you?" Wufei asked without preamble, knowing Heero would not have asked to meet privately unless there was something serious on his mind.
"Does Maxwell have a history of mental instability?" Heero asked bluntly, scowling at the paperweight on the desk.
The Captain raised an eyebrow. "The boy sat on your lap in front of Relena Peacecraft, Yuy. How stable do you think he is?"
"You know what I mean, Wufei. I can tell the difference between being a joker and smartass, and being seriously--disturbed." His face was somber. "For the past two days, he's seemed much edgier than he used to be. And he's angry--and not just at me. He's snapped at Carroll...Barton...even Winner."
"Winner? Oh--that is serious," Wufei said evenly, trying not to smirk. "What's next? Kicking puppies?"
"This isn't funny."
"Tell me, Yuy. Did this personality shift take place after you two had a--disagreement?"
"It took place after--" Heero stopped, realizing it had taken place after an altercation with Kyle...when Jason's team had helped Duo and Quatre out of trouble. And the same day Heero had suggested to the braided boy that focusing on the boot camp competition was all-important.
"After--?" prompted the Chinese officer.
"I don't know," Heero hedged. "It started the same day we picked up the survival pack. Maybe he's nervous about next week and this is just his way of masking it." He shook his head. "His sense of humor seems to have evaporated into thin air. Maybe he's trying to screw up now so he won't let the team down next week. I just don't know."
"To answer your question, although I shouldn't, his psych profile is remarkably sound for a boy who's led the life he has. He does, however, exhibit some signs of post traumatic stress. In spite of a sociable personality, he doesn't seem to form lasting attachments--probably due to losing so many people in his life."
"How many could he have lost?" Heero wondered. "He's only seventeen."
"He lost his parents, before he was old enough to have known them--fellow gang members who died in the L2 plague--the staff and residents of the Maxwell Church orphanage..."
"The fire?" Heero asked in horror. The Maxwell Church fire was a well-publicized tragedy. His quick mind put two and two together. "He was the sole survivor."
"Aye--both times," Chang said with genuine sorrow. "According to what he said in one psych interview, he's lost everyone he ever loved."
Heero's blue eyes dimmed with sympathy. "No wonder he's so--inconsistent."
"Perhaps he's afraid to let the team matter too much to him," suggested the MSC officer.
"--or his teammates," Heero concluded. "And I told him I'd just as soon be rid of him." He shook his head, recalling a weeks-old comment by Quatre that as team leader, he should be the mature one. "Damn it, Wufei. I've been trying so hard to be the cool, level-headed team leader that I've been afraid to show any of my teammates that I care about them as individuals. For that matter, I've been afraid to let myself care."
A faint smile touched Wufei's lips. "Perhaps now is the time to start." He eyed his friend appraisingly. "That was one of the hardest lessons for me, as well. I was a brilliant tactician--a consummate soldier--and I'd have gladly sacrificed my entire platoon to achieve an objective. They were little more than cannon-fodder to me back then." He shook his head. "I was a poor excuse for a leader, Yuy. It took a superior leader like Zechs Merquise to teach me that if my troops didn't matter to me, my objective wouldn't matter to them. And, amazingly, when I let my guard down and allowed myself to truly get to know my soldiers, I found my calling as a trainer. The rewards have been--amazing." His smile widened...softened. "Now when they call me 'Stick-up-his-ass' Chang, it's meant with--dare I say--affection?"
Heero grinned back, recalling Carter's high praise of the Chinese officer. "They know you'd never ask more of them than you're willing to give as well."
"That's a good lesson for you, Heero, especially where Maxwell is concerned."
Heero nodded, realizing he expected Duo to trust him, when he'd done precious little to exhibit trust in the braided boy. Certainly he'd let him take responsibility for the survival pack, but that was little more than an empty gesture. He still treated the other boy like a misbehaving child at times. "I think I need to have a talk with him," he mused. Then he looked frankly at his long-time friend. "It's difficult balancing an--attraction--to him, with the need to maintain the objectivity of a team leader."
"Are you asking that I reassign him?" Wufei asked carefully.
"No!" Heero exclaimed hastily. Then he forcibly calmed himself. "No. That would be the most demoralizing thing you could do to him."
"I could reassign you--" mused the officer.
Heero shook his head. "Please, Wufei, don't. I can do this. I am finally learning how to care about my teammates. And I know they already care about each other." His deep blue eyes were full of resolve. "It's a good team, 'Fei. The best. Let me become the leader you've been trying to teach me to be."
"I expect nothing less," shrugged his friend.
"All right then," Heero said firmly. "I'll round up Winner, and call a little team meeting to clear up a few issues."
~*~
Duo was sitting on the grass with Nanashi sprawled across his lap, while Trowa cleaned up the exercise yard, seeming not to mind the unpleasant chore in the least. He'd gotten over his disappointment in having Duo with him instead of Quatre as soon as he brought the friendly dog out to frolic.
"He's still a sweetheart," Duo said happily, burying his face in the dog's thick ruff.
"That's why I'm trying so hard to save him," Trowa told him. "He doesn't deserve to die."
"You're absolutely right, Barton," came a third voice.
Both boys looked over to see the warden leaning on the gate. Duo stiffened, keeping one arm looped around the dog's neck, and glancing aside at Trowa. The green-eyed boy gave him the slightest of shrugs.
"Does that mean--?" Trowa asked Kushrenada, afraid to hope the man was there with good news.
"I've convinced the powers that be to let me allow the adoption," Treize said with a smile.
"Yes!" Trowa nearly jumped for joy at that, turning a blissful expression to Duo. "D'you hear, Maxwell? Nanashi won't die! He'll get to go to the circus!"
Duo smiled back. "That's great news, Tro'. He's a good dog." He hugged the furred neck again, looking up over the dog's head at the warden, and still seeing the same cold edge to that smile. What the hell is he up to? "Getting soft in your old age, K.?" Duo asked with a mocking edge to his voice.
"In your dreams," replied the man coolly, his tawny eyes narrowing slightly. "If you'd been the one asking to save the dog, he wouldn't have stood a chance."
"Aw, Tro'. Y'hear that? You're the warden's pet," Duo cooed snidely.
"Maxwell...shush!" Trowa warned, darting him an uneasy glance. By God, if the braided boy screwed this up, Trowa vowed he'd strangle him with his bare hands!
"Don't worry, Barton," said Kushrenada, smiling reassuringly. "This is between you and me. Maxwell's attitude won't affect my decision."
"Thank you, sir," Trowa said warmly. "When can the adoption happen? Catherine will be visiting tomorrow..."
"Well, there's still the matter of paperwork," sighed the warden. "It will take a few more days for me to assemble the required documents. But you can use tomorrow's visit to make the arrangements with your sister. I'd like to meet her, and be certain she's willing to take on this responsibility."
"She will!" Trowa insisted. "I'm sure of it, sir."
Duo rolled his eyes. Could Barton be more of a brown-noser if he tried? It made the braided boy want to gag.
"Well, I'll leave you two to enjoy your visit," said Kushrenada. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at Duo. "Stay out of trouble, Maxwell."
"Bite--" Duo caught a perfectly vicious glare from Trowa, and amended his statement. "Uh--I'll stay out of your way, K.," he muttered sullenly.
"Smart move...for once." The warden turned on a heel, walking briskly away.
"Goddamn you, Maxwell!" Trowa exploded, releasing the breath he'd been holding. "Are you trying to get Nanashi killed?"
"No, or I'd have gone ahead and told the prick to 'bite me,'" Duo shrugged. He glared back at the other boy. "And you need to remember K. never gives anything away free. There'll be a price for this damned dog...you mark my words!" He pushed Nanashi from his lap, and stood up, brushing himself off.
"You're a paranoid asshole," Trowa growled, putting the lid back on the trash can and setting the cleaning tools aside.
"And you're a delusional prick," Duo shrugged in response. A prick who got to fuck (or be fucked by) Heero Yuy, damn it to Hell! Right at that moment, the braided boy felt he truly hated his auburn-haired teammate. It just wasn't fair. He got Yuy, and he got the dog...the warden was wrapped around his finger...and he had Quatre Winner pining after him. "I fucking hate you," Duo muttered, walking from the exercise yard, and heading back to the barracks. He didn't care if Heero wanted them to stick together. He was an L2 street kid...he'd watched his own damned back all his life, and he was sure he could do it again. Yuy could just go to Hell and take his fucking Team Wing along with him.
Duo was almost to the barracks when Trowa came running up beside him, nearly out of breath. "Maxwell! You know the fucking rules!" accused the green-eyed boy. "You should have waited for me to put the dog away."
"Screw the rules!" Duo snarled in response, pulling open the door and walking into the barracks. "And screw you, Barton."
"What the hell is your problem?" Trowa demanded. He slammed the door shut behind him. "What's gotten into you?"
"Obviously not the same thing that's gotten into you," Duo shot back snidely.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, Barton. Nothing," came the bitter response.
"Bullshit 'nothing'," Trowa retorted. "You've been trying to keep Quatre away from me, and you've been biting everyone's head off for two days." His green eyes narrowed. "Frankly, we're sick of it, Maxwell. And sick of you!"
"Likewise!"
"What the hell have I ever done to you?" demanded Trowa, knowing they'd more or less resolved the issue of the warden, so this had to be something else.
Duo decided he was past caring if Trowa knew why he hated him, so he just plunged on with the next thing that came to mind. "I just didn't think you'd start fucking Heero right after you figured out I was interested in him. That's all."
Trowa's jaw dropped. "Yuy? Me? You think we're--?"
"Screwing? Um...yes!"
"Why would you think that?"
"Oh, I dunno. Maybe because I heard you," Duo snarled, turning a cold, hurt look to his teammate.
"Heard us? Doing what?"
A slight flush crept up Duo's cheeks, but whether it was from anger or embarrassment was hard to tell. "Fucking each other's brains out."
"What?" Trowa asked in blank amazement. "When? Where? What the hell are you talking about?!"
"The other day...I forgot my conditioner. I went back to the barracks for it," Duo elaborated. "But I didn't go in; not after I heard you two."
Trowa frowned in confusion. "What day was that?"
"Aw, shit!" Duo exploded. "You mean you're screwing each other so often you don't know what day it could have been?"
"I mean I don't know what you're talking about."
Duo eyed him calculatingly. "Well, I gotta give you this. You're a hell of a liar, Barton." His eyes narrowed. "You've got the perfect poker face."
"Maybe that's because I'm telling the truth," Trowa insisted.
The braided boy turned away. "Just forget it, Barton. The hell with it. It's not like I have any claim on Yuy anyway." He ran a hand across his face, trying to regain some composure. "It's just, I thought-- I thought you liked Quatre." And that Heero liked me.
"I do!" Trowa said vehemently. "I don't know what you think is going on between Yuy and me, but you're wrong!"
"I know what I heard."
"Exactly what did you hear?"
"Jesus fucking Christ, Barton! I don't feel like repeating everything you said." Not unless it was with Heero's hands doing whatever they'd been doing to the auburn-haired boy at the time.
"Just give me a clue," Trowa snapped.
"How about 'God, Yuy, you've got great hands?' Does that give you enough of a goddamned clue?"
Trowa's eyes widened as he finally realized what Duo had overheard, and quite suddenly he burst out laughing.
Duo stared at him with a mixture of shock, and horror. "You stinking piece of backstabbing shit! You have to gloat about this?"
Too helpless with laughter to catch his breath, Trowa merely shook his head, clutching his stomach.
"Fuck you!" Duo snarled furiously, turning to stalk away.
But Trowa hastily caught Duo's wrist, holding him back. "Wait!" he gasped between laughs.
When the braided boy looked back at him with eyes slightly too bright, Trowa lost it again, shaking his head and trying to restrain the uproarious laughter long enough to draw breath.
"Damn it, Barton! Let go!" Duo demanded, trying to pull away.
"No!" wheezed the green-eyed boy, tightening his grip while he tried to get his laughter under control. "Please!" he added helpfully.
Duo waited, glaring at his amused teammate.
"It wasn't--" Trowa gasped out. "--wasn't what you think!"
"What wasn't?" asked Heero, walking in with Quatre close behind.
Duo darted an alarmed look at Trowa. "Let me go, Barton. Now!"
Trowa released his wrist, before the braided boy could get angrier. "Yuy, tell Maxwell what you and I were doing the other afternoon while he and Quatre were at the showers."
Heero frowned.
"Forget it!" Duo said hastily. "I don't want to hear it!" Hearing it from Heero's own lips would just make it too real. Duo headed for the door, but this time Heero caught his arm just above the elbow, taking it in a firm grip. Duo looked down at the hand, and then up at the Prussian blue eyes. "Get your fucking hand off me, Yuy, before I break it!"
"Maxwell, let him answer my question!" Trowa insisted, still grinning widely.
Heero met Duo's gaze steadily, and the braided boy couldn't seem to tear himself away from that mesmerizing pair of eyes. "While you and Winner were gone, I showed Barton some pressure points and deep massage to help with his sore shoulder." He briefly glanced at Trowa. "Why did you ask?"
"Because Maxwell overheard us and thought you and I were screwing," Trowa said with a wide smile.
Duo looked down at the floor, blushing hotly, and scowling to cover his embarrassment. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop," he said flatly. "I came back for my conditioner."
Heero eyed him searchingly. "Is that why you've had an attitude all week?"
"No! I mean--maybe. I don't know," he sighed, refusing to look up. "I was just in a bad mood, okay? It just seemed like...you lectured me about keeping focused on 'the mission,' and then you were..." He shrugged, not wanting to explain further.
Quatre suddenly understood everything. He turned a searching gaze to Duo. "You were trying to keep me from finding out who it was you thought Heero was with!" he said in realization.
Duo looked at him with a pained expression. "God, Quat, I didn't want you hurt, too," he said quietly. "Bad enough I had my--" He stopped, biting back the rest of the sentence before he admitted his feelings for Heero right in front of him. -heart broken, he admitted to himself. Oh, fucking God...there it was. Quatre had been right. Duo was in love with Heero. "Can I just go now?" Duo asked, pulling against the hand that was locked around his arm. "I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one day."
"Stay, Maxwell," Heero said quietly, his tone firm. He glanced at Trowa. "Why don't you and Winner take a walk?"
"Sure," agreed the auburn-haired boy, walking over to Quatre's side. "Would you like to go see my dog?" he asked with a soft smile.
Quatre's eyes widened. "Kushrenada said 'yes' to the adoption?"
Trowa nodded, eyes shining with happiness.
"That's wonderful!" Quatre exclaimed, taking the opportunity to give Trowa a quick hug. "Let's go see Nanashi!" he agreed.
The two slipped out the door, closing it quietly behind them.
Duo was left standing there with Heero still holding his arm, and his indigo eyes still fixed on the floor.
"Is that why you were making out with Jason that day?" Heero asked quietly.
The boy from L2 sighed deeply. "I-I don't know. I guess." He shrugged slightly. "He was in the right place at the right time...that's all."
"And you were in the wrong place, as usual," Heero said, with a trace of wry amusement in his voice. "Are we back to having this kind of misunderstanding again, Duo?"
"What was I supposed to do--bust in and demand answers?" Duo asked wearily. "After what I heard--thought I heard--I didn't dare."
"You could've asked me later...or the next day...or any day since," Heero suggested, his thumb moving gently along the arm he still held.
"It's not my place--" Duo began hesitantly. "It's none of my business."
"Why not?" asked the team leader. "Do you not give a shit what I do?"
Duo glanced up out of the corner of his eyes. "Do you want me to?"
"You're not answering my question," Heero pointed out.
"I know." Duo gave in to the slight pressure on his arm, turning so he was facing the Japanese boy. "Look...you keep saying that this boot camp is all-important...that you won't be distracted. And I respect that. I'm trying to do the same." He looked up with a shrug. "I guess I'm just a little more distractible than you are."
Heero chuckled in that low, sexy voice that Duo loved so much. "Want to bet?" He pulled his unresisting teammate into his arms. "A month ago, I'd have said I was immune to distractions," he confessed. "But you, Duo Maxwell, are arguably the most distracting person on the planet."
Duo sighed, relaxing into the embrace and closing his eyes. "You don't act like I am, most of the time," he said quietly.
"And that's all it is," Heero admitted. "An act." He shook his head slightly. "I thought you, of all people, would see right through it." A faint smirk touched his lips. "You saw through it that day at the visitor center."
Duo's lips curled in a small, smug smile. "God that was great," he sighed in recollection.
Heero chuckled warmly. "You were a cocky, smug sonofabitch the rest of the day," he reminded the braided boy. He pulled back enough to look down into the other boy's face. "What happened to all that smug confidence, hmm?"
"You want to talk about an act, Yuy?" Duo said, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. "I have more insecurities than I'll ever admit. I just hide them well."
"We all do," Heero assured him. "You think I don't wonder how long it'll be before you decide Jason has more in common with you than I ever will?"
Duo shrugged slightly. "Sure he does...but that's what friendships are built on."
"So is love," Heero pointed out.
Duo looked sharply at him. "Do you think I love Jase?"
"A lot of people think that," Heero told him.
"Yeah, but Jase isn't one of 'em," Duo assured him. "He knows we're just friends." He looked away uneasily. "Even when I do stupid things like throw myself at him."
"Because you thought that after I'd told you I had to stay focused on boot camp, I went back to the barracks and had sex with Barton," Heero added.
Duo nodded, still looking away.
"You were jealous?" Heero said with a faint teasing note in his voice.
"Insanely," Duo admitted.
"Don't be." Heero loosened his grip slightly, making a little more space between them. "I meant what I said about focusing on camp, Duo. We really do need to. But don't mistake my determination to succeed here, for indifference. You do matter to me. And when we finish camp, maybe we can figure out just how much."
Duo managed a wry smirk at that. "No promises, eh?"
"I can't make promises--yet," Heero sighed. "But I'm going to ask you for one."
The braided boy gave him a wary look.
"Talk to me," Heero said simply. At Duo's quizzical expression, he smiled slightly. "Next time there's a--misunderstanding--talk to me. Don't run away. Get angry if you want...but don't run and hide. Promise?"
Indigo eyes searched the team leader's face. "Does that promise work both ways, Yuy?"
"Of course."
"Then yeah, I promise," Duo agreed.
Heero pulled him into an all-too-brief hug, and then backed away. "So, how about we go join our teammates at the kennel and congratulate Trowa on saving Nanashi's life?"
Duo blushed again. "Shit, I owe Barton one big-assed apology," he said with a grimace. "I said some pretty harsh things."
"I think he'll forgive you, given the circumstances," Heero said with a smirk. "And assuming you don't try to get between him and Winner again."
Duo laughed quietly. "Ah, yeah. It was pretty fun running interference between those two. Maybe some day Quatre will even forgive me."
"And if he'd done that to you, would you forgive him?" Heero teased.
"Not in a million years," Duo grinned back. "C'mon, Yuy. Let's get to the kennels...I have a lot of groveling to do..." He grabbed the team leader's hand, pulling him out the door after him.
TBC...
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